1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical instrument cleaning devices, specifically to a steam jet cleaner for removing surgical debris from instruments.
2. Prior Art
In microsurgery, and especially ophthalmic surgery, extremely accurate and smooth incisions are required. To fill this need, diamond scalpels with superior sharpness and hardness have been developed. Diamond scalpels are extremely expensive, so they are often reused hundreds of times. Stainless steel scalpels are also reused. During surgery, the scalpels are coated with a variety of surgical debris, such as intraocular fluids, proteins, viscoelastic materials, etc. After each use, the scalpels are sterilized in a steam chamber or autoclave.
Autoclaves are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,450,487 to Wallden (1969); 4,663,122 to Sparks (1987); and 5,271,893 to Newman (1993). These devices sterilize instruments by immersing them in a low velocity flow of high temperature steam within a sealed chamber. The Newman and Sparks devices each includes a single steam inlet (reference numerals 18 and 36, respectively) for its chamber. The Wallden device provides multiple openings and diffuser jets (reference numerals 19 and 20, respectively) that emit parallel jets of steam directed at the top of the chamber for filling it; the parallel jets are not directed at the instruments, which would be positioned on the bottom of the chamber.
Although the autoclaving process sterilizes the surgical debris on the instruments, it does not remove them. Moreover, the high temperature in autoclaving even bakes or hardens the debris on the instruments. As a result, repeated use and autoclaving of surgical instruments cause a buildup of debris that gradually reduces their cutting performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,037 to Friedheim (1983) shows a device with a single-jet nozzle (reference numeral 14) for sterilizing instruments and blowing away surgical debris. However, the single nozzle produces a diverging steam jet that is only effective when an instrument is held very close--so close that inadvertent contact and damage to the instrument can easily happen. Its single jet can only clean one side of an instrument at a time. In addition, the externally mounted nozzle is pointed in the direction of the user, who can easily be burned by the steam. Furthermore, surgical debris dislodged from the instrument and thrown up in the air by the jet poses a definite health hazard to the user and those nearby. In a typical work area, the steam jet would be pointed at a countertop or floor, which would quickly become contaminated with condensed steam.
In addition to cutting instruments, cannulas are also reused. However, cleaning a cannula is problematic, because the interior of its extremely small channel is virtually impossible to reach with conventional methods and cleaning devices.